Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is a true hero of America, Democracy, and the Electoral College. On December 7, 2011 at the Heritage Foundation, Senator McConnell delivered an impassioned defense of the American (read—best) way of doing presidential elections. The speech still stands today as one of the greatest examples of oratory in American history, cementing McConnell’s place in the pantheon of speakers like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and George W. Bush.

Sadly, not enough people appreciate just how brilliant this speech was. In an effort to change that, I will highlight some of the Senator’s best lines and explain why they are so indisputably correct. Follow along with the video if you'd like McConnell's inspiring words to touch your very own ears (3:06-21:50 concern NPV):

"I would like to thank the Heritage Foundation for hosting this seminar on the most important issue no one is talking about."

I would like to thank you, Senator McConnell, for making this the most important issue that one person is talking about.

"Nobody is paying much attention to a genuine threat to our country."

Just one quibble here: National Popular Vote is THE genuine threat to our country. All other so-called “threats” are so comparatively insignificant that they might as well be fake.

"As many of you know there is a certain segment of the liberal establishment that has long wanted to do an end run around the constitution when it comes to national elections. They don't like the way the Electoral College works and they'd like to do away with it."

Yes. NPV is absolutely a product of the Liberal Establishment, which will steal your money through taxes with one hand while it steals your Electoral College with the other. Just because NPV is “nonpartisan” and “won’t benefit either party” doesn’t mean that it’s not Liberal (and therefore, Evil) at its core.

"People who want to undermine the way we do elections in this country have chosen a new and rather creative way to change the constitution without actually having to amend it."

Ugh, creativity. It’s one of the seven deadly sins, I think—right between “sloth” and “fairness.”

"The National Popular Vote movement, unfortunately, is actually the best shot yet that I've seen at achieving the goal of these people."

Unfortunately? There must be a better adverb to use than that. How about catastrophically? Apocalyptically?

"Those folks have been busy pushing a plan so that only a few of the most populous and liberal states determine who actually wins."

This is an accurate description of NPV. It allows just a few strongly Democratic states to tell everyone else in the country that their votes will count equally. It’s practically fascist!

"The addition of just a handful of states could make this plan a reality."

If this is true—and I assume it is because Mitch McConnell has never told a lie—then the situation is even more dire than I thought. How many states can there be in a handful? Not that many, since states are pretty big. I can only assume that NPV will be enacted as soon as Rhode Island signs on.

"This would mean that from now on just 12 states could decide our presidential elections."

I’m shuddering at the thought. I mean, only about seven states decide our presidential elections now, but this would be even worse. Or is 12 a bigger number than 7? I always forget.

"What they're not telling people is that this undermines the constitution, undermines federalism, and undermines the original compromise of the founding fathers…That's why a lot of high profile advocates in both parties have fallen victim to this scheme."

Those poor bipartisan advocates who have been brainwashed by NPV are the real victims here. I hope that we can somehow find a way to exorcise the NPV demons that have taken root in their minds.

Otherwise, we’ll just have to put these no-longer-human souls out of their misery.

"We need to kill [NPV] in the cradle before it grows up into litigation."

What an apt analogy. Senator McConnell could have gone further, though. After all, should we really concede that NPV has already been born? Let’s say, instead:

“We need to abort the fetus of the National Popular Vote before it is birthed into our electoral system.”

I'm sure the good Senator would feel comfortable making that statement.

"Under NPV, voters in states that haven't signed onto the Compact will be treated differently from those in states that have."

Yes, under NPV, voters in states that haven’t signed onto the Compact will have their votes count towards the national popular vote, whereas voters in states that have signed on will…have their votes count towards the national popular vote. Wait, I must have missed something.

"The practical application of the National Popular Vote spells nothing but trouble"

"Because high population areas will have a greater influence under NPV, voters in those areas will have a greater incentive to commit voter fraud."

Exactly! In areas where people think their vote actually counts the same amount as other peoples’, they have a greater incentive to cheat to get more equal votes. The only solution is to make sure that the people most likely to commit voter fraud (black people) have their votes count less so they have less of an incentive to do so.

How about…3/5ths as much? Sounds about right.

"Dead people and pets…will become more plentiful in the future."

What McConnell means is that under NPV, more people will die and those still living will cope with their grief by getting more pets.

"In 2000, President Bush actually lost the direct popular vote."

Ssssssshhhhhhhhhhh. We try not to mention that.

"Talk about a constitutional crisis! It would bring the country to our knees.”

“Chaos. On average two or three times during your life."

"The proponents of this absurd and dangerous concept are trying to get this done while nobody notices."

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

"We've gotta wake the country up."

Wha-huh? Oh, sorry, I must have dozed off there for a few minutes, I missed that. Something about how bad a nationwide recount might be? Yes, sometimes I think it would be better if only Mitch McConnell and I voted, that way a recount would be really easy.

"If I were a Democrat in a small state hoping to see a presidential candidate again in my lifetime, I wouldn't want a system like this. There would be no chance."

Well, if I were a Democrat in a small state (other than New Hampshire) hoping to see a presidential candidate in my lifetime now, I’d have to take a vacation to Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, or Virginia. But no one here is a Democrat in a small state anyway, so who cares?

Thank you for sharing the amazing video and I am impressed by the speech. The support and service given by the Heritage Foundation is very appreciable. Keep sharing these kinds of wonderful and useful articles and read. Good luck.

I haven’t checked in here for some time as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are really great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend.